Never Alone
by angellwings
Summary: Spoilers for "Checkmate." Bart and Dinah discover that Chloe and Oliver are seeing eachother, and John realizes why the League is so dysfunctional.


**A/N:** So, I'm always a little sad with something major happens between two of the main characters and we don't get to see how everyone else reacts. Sure, we'll get Clark's reaction and maybe Lois's reaction, but we never even _hear_ about how the rest of the League may feel about something. An occurance like that usually leads to me writing a League fic like this one which was caused by the canon occurance of Chloliver. Nothing against the pairing. I like Chloe, and I like Oliver. Just not as a couple. That being said I worked really hard NOT to bash them because I don't think any member of the League would bash either Ollie or Chloe. They respect them too much for that. Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

Never Alone

By angellwings

* * *

"I'm sorry, what?" Dinah asked Oliver and Chloe as the group gathered in the Watchtower.

"There's an agency out there trying to find out our identities," Chloe repeated.

"An agency that has very little to do with Luthor Corp. and everything to do with the government," Oliver said with a sigh.

"Well, isn't that just peachy," Bart commented dryly. "We finally shake the Luthors and now we've got somebody else tailing us."

"You said this place calls them selves Checkmate?" Victor asked.

"Oh yes, they're quite into chess apparently. They even call their boss the White Queen," Chloe said with a nod.

"So, what are we supposed to do?" AC asked. "Lay low again? Because we just finished doing that and I really despise it."

"Amen to that," Dinah sighed. "Laying low is torture."

"No, we're just going to have to be really careful from here on out," Oliver told them. "We stick to Chloe's buddy system and we check in with her while we're on missions."

"Does that include Clark this time?" Dinah asked as she tossed a teasing grin at Clark.

He rolled his eyes and chuckled, "Yes, that includes me."

Bart began to chuckle, and everyone turned to give him a curious glance.

"Could we call Oliver 'the White Queen'?" Bart laughed. "I mean he's a Queen, and he's white."

Dinah chuckled and smirked at Bart while the others shook their heads.

"What?" Bart asked with a grin. "It was just a suggestion."

"Well, that's all for this meeting. We just wanted to warn you all to watch your backs extra carefully," Chloe stated.

"Will do, boss lady," Dinah grinned as she stood and gathered her bag. Everyone else began to grab their things and leave and Dinah looked up in time to see Oliver's arm slink around Chloe's waist. She heard a startled gasp from somewhere beside her and looked up to see that Bart had noticed the same motion. The two of them looked to Clark for some sort of answer. Clark cleared his throat, glanced pointedly at Oliver and Chloe, and then crossed his arms over his chest.

Dinah leaned toward him and whispered, "Are they…dating?"

"I don't know if you'd call it dating," Clark told them. "But they are seeing each other."

"Chloe?" Dinah asked in a whisper.

"And Oliver?" Bart asked a few seconds later.

Clark nodded, and then walked away leaving Bart and Dinah to talk with one another.

But they didn't dare. Not inside Watchtower. Instead Bart cleared his throat and turned to Dinah, "So, coffee?"

"I would love some. Let's go."

Dinah and Bart stepped inside the coffee shop across the street from the tower and found a small table toward the back of the place. Dinah's brow furrowed thoughtfully.

"What are they thinking?" She asked Bart. He said nothing, but sighed. "I mean what if this ends badly? What if all we get out of it is awkwardness? The League cannot handle that right now."

"The League?" Bart asked. "Or you?"

"The League," Dinah snapped. "I don't care who Oliver dates."

Bart chuckled, "Yeah, right."

Her eyes narrowed at him, "That _is_ right. He's seeing someone and I'm seeing someone. We're even."

Bart raised an eyebrow at her, "You're seeing someone? Who?"

"No one you'll ever get to meet," Dinah smirked.

"C'mon, can I at least have a name?" Bart asked curiously.

"No."

"If you don't tell me I'll get big sister to tell me," Bart threatened.

"If I tell you will you leave it alone?"

"Nope, can't promise that," Bart answered honestly.

"Will you at least promise to not tell anyone else?"

"Unless it puts you in danger," Bart agreed.

Dinah nodded and shook his hand, "Deal, his name is Craig."

He glared at her, "That's _it_? That's all you're going to tell me?"

"There's not much more to tell," Dinah laughed. "He's just an average guy. No riches, no tights, and no alter egos."

"You met this 'average' guy how?" Bart asked warily.

"He came to my book signing," She told him.

"You're dating one of your fans?" Bart grinned. "Dinah, that's just…dumb."

"Hey! It is not!"

"Yeah, it is. That might be worse than Chloe and Oliver," Bart chuckled.

"I knew I shouldn't have told you," She sighed. "None of you guys would understand."

Bart shook his head, "No, Dinah, I understand. Normalcy. You want a piece of it. Believe me, I get it. But what do you really know about this guy? Honestly?"

"He's an investment banker," Dinah told him.

Bart laughed, "Yeah, that's a lie. That's the standard con artist answer. Next?"

"He has family in California."

"Conveniently located all the way across the nation from the two of you. What else?"

"He thinks my Judo knowledge is sexy," Dinah smirked. Bart sputtered and grimaced.

"Okay, not to play the little brother figure card but…GROSS! Too much info, all right? I mean, yeah your fishnets are hot, but I do not want to hear about the guys you're seeing and their weird fetishes."

Dinah glared at him and reached across the table to smack him, "That is NOT what I meant."

"That's what it sounded like to me," Bart said in a sing song tone. "Dinah, really why are you wasting your time with this guy?"

She sighed, "He's _not_ Oliver. I can't get the stupid jerk out of my system. I thought maybe I just needed to experience a _normal_ man again."

"And how's that panning out for you?" Bart asked knowingly.

She rolled her eyes, "Don't make me answer a question for which you already know the answer."

"So, you breaking up with the guy?"

"Nope, he's moving in."

Bart's eyes widened, "I'm sorry, WHAT?"

She huffed, "He needs a place to stay for a while. His place is being renovated."

"Renovated?" Bart laughed. "Oh this dude is totally playing you!"

Dinah rolled her eyes, "I know."

"You _know?_ Dinah, I am not understanding this at all," Bart said in confusion.

"Neither am I," A deep voice said from the table behind them. Dinah's eyes widened and she turned slowly to find John staring at her in concern.

She hung her head and sighed, "Great, daddy's here."

Bart chuckled, "You're in BIG trouble."

"Explain," John said.

"Can't you just read my mind?" Dinah asked in a bored tone.

"I could, but I want to hear it from _your_ lips," John told her sternly. "Why are you _letting _him 'play' you as Bart called it."

"He's in trouble," She sighed. "Gambler's debts. Before you ask, no I had no idea he was a gambler. I just found this out the other day."

Bart chuckled darkly, "He's 'average', huh?"

"What did you want to hear Bart? Did you want me to tell you I was dating a jackass?"

"Well, I would have appreciated some acknowledgement of the fact that you needed help," Bart scoffed.

She rolled her eyes, "I don't need help. I can handle this. It's just a couple off meat headed bookies. Nothing major."

"This is why the League is hanging on by a thread," John snapped. "No one asks for help around here."

Dinah and Bart turned to him in surprise. They'd never heard John snap at anyone. He usually spoke so calmly.

"You're not a team," He sighed as his voice softened. "You're not a family. Not yet."

"Why do you have to help this guy at all?" Bart asked. "Just let him suffer the consequences."

"They'll kill him, Bart. These guys are no joke, and he owes them a LOT of money," Dinah told him. "I can't just _let_ him die."

"Fine, but you're not taking on these bookies alone," Bart said in a determined voice.

Dinah shook her head, "Don't involve Oliver."

"He'd want to help," John told her.

"No," Dinah snapped. "I don't want him to know anything about this, and I'd rather Chloe and Clark not know either. Just the two of you. That's it."

"If Oliver ever finds out we kept this from him," Bart told her. "We're all dead."

"If he ever finds out…I'll kill you first," Dinah said with a glare.

"So, eventually one of you will kill me?" He asked.

Dinah nodded, "Eventually."

* * *

They arrived back at the Tower after a night of kicking bookie ass around both Metropolis and Gotham. Apparently Craig's debt was quite a bit bigger than he had admitted to Dinah. Chloe was out, and all three of them were relieved at that. Bart and Dinah collapsed onto the couch in the corner.

"Bookies are gone," Bart stated simply. "NOW will you break up with him?"

"Hell yeah," Dinah answered finally.

"Finally, an answer that makes sense," John said in relief.

The doors opened and Chloe and Oliver stepped through. The sound of their joyful laughter stopped at the sight of their ragged teammates.

"What the hell happened to you three?" Oliver asked sternly.

"Oh you know, the usual," Dinah lied. "Psycho criminal scum."

Chloe's brow furrowed, "None of my alerts went off."

"I hit the snooze button," Bart joked with a smirk.

Chloe smiled softly at him and shook her head, "I don't think so. What happened?"

"Nothing, Chloe," Dinah sighed. "We just took care of some business that's all. Nothing for you to worry about. C'mon, Bart, we better get out of here. It's getting late."

Bart nodded as he and Dinah stood. He winked at Chloe on the way out, "See you later, Chloelicious and my honorable boss man."

The door closed behind them and John was left staring blankly at the couple.

"Something wrong, John?" Oliver asked.

"We're not a family," He said simply.

Oliver's eyes narrowed thoughtfully, "What are you talking about?"

"No one asks for help. Families ask for help," John sighed.

Oliver and Chloe shared a worried glance before Chloe spoke up, "_What_ were you three up to tonight?"

"It's not my problem to share with you," John told them both. "But you've got a couple of team members who are really hurting right now. You'd do well to try and deal with that."

John then turned and left.

Oliver tilted his head curiously, "Did he mean Bart and Dinah?"

"Those were the two people he was with tonight so I think that's a safe assumption," Chloe answered. Chloe let the subject drop and headed to the monitors. She knew John was right, but there were missions scheduled for tonight and she needed to take care of those first. Oliver couldn't help but let it bug him. Why had either Dinah or Bart needed help? The news that they were both for some reason hurting didn't sit well with him either. Bart was family as far as Oliver was concerned. He knew the entire team felt that way, but Oliver had been the one to find the kid and help him turn his life around. That meant he felt protective of him.

And Dinah…

Well, who really knew _what_ Dinah was to him. He didn't even know. Before he had started seeing Chloe they spent half the time flirting and the other half yelling. But she was still his friend and whatever was going on with her…he wanted to know.

* * *

Dinah observed Bart as they took the elevator down to the main level. He'd left the Tower Command Center with a smirk, but he certainly wasn't wearing one now. That's when she remembered that they had gone to that coffee shop so the BOTH of them could talk. Once Craig had come up Bart hadn't gotten his chance.

"Bart," Dinah said finally.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"We were supposed to talk earlier," She told him. "If that had gone down the way it was supposed to, what would you have said?"

Bart rolled his eyes, "Does it matter? We missed our talk, Dinah."

"No, we didn't. C'mon, Bart," She sighed. "Talk to me."

"Why does it matter?"

"Because it's Chloe, we all know you have a crush on her."

"Crush?" He scoffed angrily. "I'm not in junior high, Dinah."

"What?" She asked in confusion.

"I'm not a kid anymore and yet everyone insists on making whatever feelings I have for Chloe seem like such a passing thing. It's annoying," He snapped.

Dinah's eyes widened. He was right. She'd never thought about that before, but he was definitely right. He was their younger brother, and they treated him as if he were not quite old enough to feel certain emotions. But he was old enough. Way past old enough.

She sighed, "You're right. How do you _really_ feel about Chloe, Bart?"

He looked surprised that she'd asked him that. He was silent a moment before he answered, "I don't know. I mean it used to a simple crush like you said, but…it's definitely become something more than that. You'd think I would be over by now, wouldn't you? I mean the girl flirted with me for ten minutes 5 years ago. That's it. She's dated enough guys since then that you'd think I would have realized it wasn't going to happen, but my brain just refuses to accept that."

Dinah smiled softly at him and squeezed his shoulder, "I know how that goes."

Bart chuckled bitterly, "Looks like we're both in the same boat, huh?"

"Apparently," Dinah agreed.

"You think it's time I seriously try and let Chloe go?" He asked her curiously.

"I can't answer that for you, Bart," Dinah told him. "Only you know when it's time to move on. I may understand but I'll never truly _know_ how you feel about her. Only you know that. It's up to you."

This time he really did laugh, "Thanks, Mr. Miagi."

Dinah smiled at him in amusement, "There's no way I could ever be as cool as Mr. Miagi."

"I don't know, you've got some pretty sick Judo skills, and I'm almost positive he would not look as good as you do in leather," Bart smirked.

Dinah smacked him and grinned, "You're terrible."

He winked at her, "Somebody in this clan has to be."

"You know, Bart," Dinah said as she looped her arm through his in a sisterly gesture. "I think we'll be okay. At least we're not alone, right?"

He nodded, "You know the League may not be a complete family, but that's the one thing we've all got right so far. We're never alone."


End file.
